The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-03-25
Total

The greater part of the pupils attending the
Union building come from the district north
and west of this school. A close study OF the
figures heretofore given will show that while
the Board OF Education might open a school
room in the unused story Of the small frame
building, such a school would in no way give
adequate relief to both buildings, nor would it
affect more than one grade of pupils.
All possible ways of accommodating the
large number Of pupils crowding upon us have
been considered by US and found impractica-
bic or not wise for us to adopt. 1t is our de-
sire to be as economical in outlay of money
and labor as will produce the best results with
the least burden upon the tar payers,
While it may aid full understanding of all
the factors involved to state that the entire
enrolment Of pupils is at no one time present
in school, nevertheless very nearly nine-tenths
OF that number is present at all times, and
good business management requires that we
provide sufficient seating to accommodate on r
total enrolment and look forward to the large
increase sure to be upon us within a short
time. The High school occupies two school
rooms In the third story OF this bnilding, and
uses in addition a small recitation room cut
of from the hall and also the Office OF the SUI
perIntendent for recitation purposes. The
valuable library OF this school has been gath
cred by the efforts of the pupils, but has no
better place than cases set up in the entrance
hall.
The apparatus and chemicals are slowed
away, here and there, in teachers desks. table
drawers, etc, because there is no place for
them properly. The school AT present has no
laboratory for the proper teaching OF the scien-
ces, and whatever we propose to do of such
teaching is ut present sadly crippled. There
is no assembly room for the High school and
In consequence the school is much hampered
I'm doing rhetorical work or In creating that
school feeling which comes from numbers OF
pupils occupying the same room. The crowd
ed condition of school rooms is seen In this
building also. Good authorities claim that
forty pupils are sufficient for one teacher,
while this number may seem small, and GER
tainly is far below the number under the care
OF one teacher In our schools, we could ap-
proximate this number In many grades by q
proper division Of pupils among teachers, pro-
vided we had building between the Pleas
ant Grove and Union buildings. to take of the
pressure from both.
This, we believe, could be done without in
The Union building is heated by stoves, and
has ventilating fiues. These dues are Of no
value, and frequently throw smoke into the
school rooms. As I'm the Pleasant Grove
building 1t has been repeatedly necessary to
dismiss schools because Of smoke. The same
trouble with foul air Is experienced I'm this
building which has described for the Pleasant
Grove. In the grammar school of this build
ing serious interference has been experienced
because of the Ill health OF many OF the young
ladies attending this school. We can only
ascribe this to the defective sanitary arrange
ments of the room. We have said nothing of
the influence of work done under these condi-
tions upon the health of teachers. They
make no complaints and ask for no relief; vet
II is worthy of note, that nervous headaches,
and "break downs are Of habitual occur
renee. This would not be so IL their surround
ipgs were healthy. The Union building was
changed In its interior some years back, II is
much In need Of extensive oyerhauling now.
To properly support the roof trusses, which
had come apart, and also to strengthen the
sagging joists of the floors, the committee on
property and expense has been constrained to
erect series of wooden posts from the lower
story up to the roof truss.
These. I'm brief, are some of the causes tha3
move US in presenting the proposition for
bonds to the voters OF this city.
In the proposed new building We have In
view quarters for the High school, and Eram-